It has been a little more than two years since my Leica M10 became part of the family, and I can proudly tell you it was one of the best photographic choices I ever made. It's my dear accomplice and companion for my daily life. For the very first time in many many years, I don't go out without a camera. I've been shooting Nikon, Fuji Mirrorless, iPhone, and the Ricoh GR (my second favorite). Still, nothing is compared to the essence of shooting with a Rangefinder camera, it's a delightful pleasure. An engineering marvel. I use it for street photography, for document my daily life and my family, for landscapes, for abstract photos, practically for almost everything. I still haven't had a chance to take my Leica on a long trip. But I'm sure once the world situation will be better (cause the pandemic), it will travel with me as my number one travel gear, no matter what.
I will probably write another post in the future to discuss "Why Leica," and what makes the Leica system unique. These last two years have been fantastic, carrying the camera everywhere with me (even when I go to the supermarket). But I want more time to test out focal lengths I never used, such as the 24mm or 75mm, to use the camera in different environments, and continuously for an extended period. So far, besides using it for my everyday life, I shot with the M10 only a sporting event and a wedding .
Leica M could be the essence of photography.
It's kind of weird saying that. I'm a guy who uses a Nikon D5 (DSLR system) for work, which is entirely another world. I talked a lot about the D5 here and why I love this camera and still use it. I love that it is fully customizable (I mean, entirely). It's incredible what you can achieve with this beast. But to do it, you have tens of buttons and menu options to deal with, moreover its considerable weight and size. While shooting with a Leica M10, or M9, M-P, M, and so on is absolutely the opposite. No video, No autofocus... oh my god, would you believe me if I tell you that using manual focus is faster than AF!?
Simplicity? Absolutely. You only have three buttons on the back of the camera, plus a direction pad, a thumbwheel and a center button. That's it. From the top plate of the camera, you can easily access the shutter speed and ISO, plus the lens aperture. And that is all. With a Leica M camera, you don't really need anything else (take a look at this link to know more about all Leica M system digital cameras).
Less is more.
I really believe it. The less you have to touch, change, or worry about, the better you can focus on just taking photos and making better art. This part is my favorite part :-) I just want to take pictures and enjoy the process. All with a minimalist approach, lightweight, small size, and a terrific, beautiful, and charming aesthetic.
I won't explain why a rangefinder camera is very different and more pleasant to shoot with (IMHO) than a Mirrorless system or a DSLR. There are so many points to address about it that I'm saving that for a further post. When I write about the pros and cons and what it assuredly means to be a passionate Leica M Photographer. I just want to share my Menu settings :-) If you are not yet a Leica M10 user and you are willing to know more about it, you will enjoy seeing how simple and straight-to-the-point the menu is. No need for a lot of configurations. If you are already a Leica user, you can compare your favorite settings with mine and make your own conclusions. Either way, I hope this is helping you anyhow.
Favorites Menu
With the Leica M10, once you press once the Menu button, you access first at your Favorites menu list —as it acts as the Start Page. You can assign up to 7 of the 26 menu options (without to scroll) from the Main Menu to the Favorites Menu. This enables the most frequently used options to be accessed and set remarkably quickly and easily. So, here all my Leica Menu Settings:
